


Silent Night

by Aikatsu



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-06-02 13:43:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6568579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikatsu/pseuds/Aikatsu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas and Riley finds an unexpected visitor on her fire escape. Shenangians ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silent Night

Christmas Day was always a huge affair in the Matthews household. Alan and Amy came in from Philadelphia. They even coherced George and Lila to come with them as the former's sister decided to go on a proper holiday. Josh had dropped in from university. Maya continued her (recent) tradition of coming accompanied by her mother. And even Shawn and Jonathon paid a visit for the evening. The small apartment had never felt more crowded than it had before, but perhaps in some ways it felt even more like a home than usual.

It definitely did for Riley who was spinning around the guests singing Christmas carols. She'd taken up the executive role of setting up decorations surpassed only by her father. Every once and a while when she put an ornament up or stuck up a wreath she'd hear a startled cry from her father and he'd be on her to move it just so. All she can manage to do is fold her arms and quirk a brow at him. For years they'd been doing this now and as much as Cory tries to deny it he enjoys decorating for Christmas even more than his daughter.

The fifth time in a row Cory's shrieked from across the room Riley practically throws her hands up in defeat. She turns to Maya and politely dismisses herself from her friend's company to go to her room. Not that Maya noticed, since she was busy prodding at Cory's buttons. Once she was satisfied her friend was properly distracted she picked up a Christmas wreath and adorned it like a crown before spinning into her room.

Riley had long ago taken to wrapping her presents the day she got them. She took careful care to wrap each one uniquely and without a tell of who it was for. Depending on the person there was always multiple boxes (this year it was Shawn getting that treatment). She always very deliberately made sure not to write anyone's names on the wrapping because otherwise she'd find someone sneaking into shake them to figure out what it was. This included her own parents. She liked surprises and if they found anything out that would ruin it all.

Which is why she always had to doublecheck and triplecheck everything. Especially this evening with her bed being far more covered than any year previous. She hummed to herself pointing at each present like a conductor. Once she was satisfied she nodded to herself before turning to go back out for dinner.

That is until she saw a shadow in the corner of her eye. She was used to people being out on her windowsill, but in spite of herself she stiffened just slightly. No one should be here on Christmas. Turning towards the window she definitely saw a figure on the fire escape. She couldn't see his face from here, but Riley could tell that form and manner of dress as easily as she could Maya.

In a flash the young girl was across her room and flinging open the window that was usually left unlocked. The boy jumps himself and stumbles to get up, fumbling down a step or two before his butt crashes into the metal pavement. Blue eyes widening into saucers as he catches sight of the girl urgently pulling herself out of the window with a furrowed brow.

"Farkle!" Riley exclaims between breathes.

Farkle tries for a cheeky grin as he situates himself on the step. She notices him trying oh too hard to look cool and she has to huff at that. The smile he wears doesn't seem to wave one bit as he manages a laugh, "Merry Christmas, Riley."

"Merry Christmas, Farkle," she responds in a haughty tone that can only have been inherited from her mother, "now are you going to tell me why it's nearly twenty degrees out, snowing, and you're on my fire escape?"

He seems to whither for a moment under her gaze and she finds herself wilting just a bit instead. Only a bit as her arms cross further against her chest. "It's Christmas," he reasons promptly, "and I wanted to say Merry Christmas in person. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Why didn't you use the front door?"

Riley's words come out so sharply that she can see him visibly wince at the response. Still he doesn't seem to want to be defeated yet.

"Since when have any of us ever used a front door, anyway?"

"Farkle."

"Riley."

An icy silence envelopes the both of them. There's a tensity that Riley can't quite place between them as his eyes dart away. Her shoulders slump slightly knowing that they're both going to be all too stubborn about this, but she's not letting it go so easily. His cheeks are all too rosy from the whipping of the air and she can tell he's shaking even as he tries to look as stiff as possible. Just how long had he been out there anyway.

Finally, after several minutes the boy heaved a sigh and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "It was quiet at home," Farkle admits lowly, "and I knew everyone would be here. Everyone just looks so happy. I like seeing you all happy."

Riley immediately deflates like a punctured balloon at his words. Her lips turning into a thin frown she let out a sharp breath before crawling the rest of the way out the window. She almost winces at the cool feel of icy metal on her socked feet, but ignores it in loo of moving to sit next to the startled boy.

"Riley," he says quickly, "what are you doing? You'll get sick dressed like that out here--"

"Hey, if you can sit out here like this so can I," she snaps back with certain ferocity before it wilts to something far more gentle and knowing as she implores, "where is your family at, Farkle?"

Once more his eyes dart quickly away. His fingers moving quickly to fidget with the lapels of his jacket in an anxiety that was far too familiar too her. Shifting slightly, Riley moved to wrap her arm in between his and lean her head against his shoulder. She feels Farkle take a deep breath before relaxing and tilting his head just slightly into her. In spite of the cold, Riley smiles slightly as a familiar warmth floods over her.

She waits patiently until he speaks again and she's rewarded moments later. "...Dad had a business trip. He was supposed to be back two days ago, but then negotiations got extended. Then the snowstorm happened so he's stuck on another continent," Farkle says all too factually, "mom's at home. We opened presents this morning and had a really nice breakfast. It's just... really quiet, it always is. I like seeing your guy's Christmas."

Riley moved her free hand to squeeze his arm. She knew it wasn't the first time it happened. It seemed like almost every year there was something that caught Stuart up. She knew the man didn't do it intentionally, but it made her heart ache for the boy who sat on her fire escape looking in on another family. Making a face at the thought, Riley abruptly got up almost slipping on the icy landing.

In an instance Farkle is up and putting a hand on her back. "Riley?" He questions perplexed but she smiles it away. The boy melts into his own smile as well and she takes his hand before tugging on it slightly. "Wait, what are you doing?" He asked, voice cracking. Farkle knew that look on her face and knew all too well it meant she was planning something. She gave half a laugh before tugging on him impatiently once more, but Farkle was having none of it as he stood rooted in his place.

"It's Christmas," she said exasperated, "and Christmas is for being together with your family. And you're my family, too. So come on already, silly."

His brow furrowed slightly as he finally lets himself be pulled in, "Is that really a good idea?"

"It's a perfect idea," she assures, clambering into the window, "no one will mind. They all love you."

Farkle opened his mouth to retort that he barely knew some of them, but halted as he slid onto the bay window. Riley rose a brow at him in confusion but he continued to stare wordlessly at the ceiling just before them. "Riley," he got out warily, "why... is there mistletoe right here?"

"What?" Riley responded startled, her eyes following his, "oh. Dad. He likes to put them up everywhere he possible can. Mom tries to catch them all and only leave one or two up but I guess she missed this one. That's not a surprise, Dad's gotten really into being sneaky about it because he likes kissing mo..."

Her voice cuts off right there as she suddenly realizes why Farkle asked that. Silently, she cursed her father and his ridiculous need to get Topanga to kiss him whenever he wanted. Turning back to her friend who remained staring at the villainous plant, Riley twisted her hands in her skirts before piping up. "We don't have to, Farkle," she reasoned, "it's just a silly tradition."

A tradition that, for some reason, didn't seem that bad right now. Her eyes darted to Farkle's lips and she flushed in embarassment before dropping her gaze. "We can't ignore it," Farkle piped up startling her, "haven't you heard why people do in the first place? Because the last time someone ignored it they were poisoned by this tiny little plant. Poisoned."

"Farkle, that's just some myth, we'll be fine. We're like twenty-thousand years in the future."

"Not doing it."

The way he said it made her flush hotly once more. She shifted back a step when she sees him lumber to his feet. Hearing him take a breath, Riley glanced up to the embarrassed shifting of the boy. He sure did seem to get a lot closer than he was a few moments ago, though. Freezing up slightly, Riley watched as Farkle hesitated just centimeters away. Suddenly for once in her life she stops thinking and acts on impulse. A hand moves to the back of his neck to keep him there and she crashes her lips against his.

She feels Farkle give a sharp intake at the motion but before she can waver his hand finds her back and his lips press against hers in earnest. It's definitely not what she thought kissing Farkle would ever be like. The kiss itself isn't that spectacular, honestly, as most first kisses aren't-- It's clumsy and a little too toothy and looking back she'd feel a little silly. In that moment though she can feel Farkle's heart beat rapidly against hers and it was if they really were one for a short period of time. Some part of her didn't want it to end and she'd have to question that later.

"Riley! It's popcorn stringing time," a sing-songy voice cut through the air. Suddenly where they were came flooding back and both kids jumped away from each other. It's too late though as a piercing shriek feels the air and a large bowl of popcorn finds its way to the ground. Neither kid looks up in fear of the look on the man's face, so they don't see the crowd of people making its ways down the hall.

It doesn't take long for any of them to figure out what was happening in there. 

"Oh boy, I'd run," Shawn advised quickly, torn between some mixture of pride and horrified uncle.

"Looks like we've got something to talk about, honey," chirped Maya in a sing-songy voice. She knows she should be horrified and later will be, but for the moment she's just enjoying the show.

As for Cory?

He seems to have become a petrified statue pointing wordlessly at one Farkle Minkus. Topanga, perhaps having expected something like this one day, grabs him by the shoulders and tries to user him out of the room. Her touch only serves to electrify him as the next moment he's out of her grip and flying across the room.

"Daddy, no," Riley squeaked getting between him and her friend as her father mumbles 'I'm going to kill him' over and over again. It takes an intervention with Topanga-- and a promise of triple helpings of potatoes-- to calm Cory down. Seeing the show was over the others filed quickly away, but neither of the two culprits seemed to be able to look at each other without looking sheepishly at each other for the rest of the evening.

At least it seems that Cory Matthews has finally learned his lesson over putting mistletoe absolutely everywhere.


End file.
